2 Sep 2019 First Team Match Reports

LUCKLESS RAMS EDGED OUT BY WESTON

Beaconsfield were left to ponder how they managed to leave the impressive Optima Stadium with nothing to show for their best performance of the season so far.

The unbeaten home side started well with Captain Greg Tindle shooting over on three minutes when well placed. Rams new custodian Myles Bowman then made a fine save to deny the busy Nick McCootie on 20 minutes but it was the visitors who were the first to come closest to a goal when five minutes later Shawnikki Clement-Peter robbed a defender and was only denied by a fine save from Niall Maher.

Bowman again thwarted an effort by McCootie on 27 minutes before the lively Jon-Jo Bates unleashed a fine effort just after the half hour mark that cannoned off the Weston bar with Maher well beaten. As half-time approached The Rams could justifiably have been two goals up.

Five minutes in to the second period and Charlie Losasso cut inside his marker and sent in a curling effort that beat Maher but not his post. When you are top of the league that goes in, when you are at the bottom…. A couple of moments later Clement-Peter saw an effort hacked off the line, the ball just wouldn’t go in for The Rams.

Weston’s main threat came from McCootie and it was no surprise, on 60 minutes, when he bundled the ball home after a corner though there was a strong suspicion that keeper Bowman had been impeded in the build up. Ref Matthew Ruston didn’t agree, 1-0 to the hosts.

The Rams keeper did make a fine save from Issac Pearce on 64 minutes and ten minutes later Joel Randall saw his shot bounce back off the Beaconsfield post.

The final minutes played out with Weston using every trick in the book to run down the clock – love those throw in’s that, err, don’t come in! – as the visitors continued to probe for a deserved equalizer that would not come their way.

This was a much improved performance from The Rams. Debutant Ade Shokunbi looks to be a fine recruit and the assured performance of keeper Bowman ensured that there were few jitters among the defence. The spirit is still good amongst the players, management and supporters. Just need that little bit of luck, that miscued shot that goes in off someone’s backside, and then The Rams season really will get up and running.